The HP StorageWorks MSL2024 Tape Library has a "mailslot", which is a single tape slot for loading/unloading one tape at a time (as opposed to removing a magazine containing 11 or 12 tapes).

What I have not quite understood yet is how to setup basic daily tape handling operations from within BackupExec 12.5

I have a backup-policy that links a backup-job-template to an export-tape-template.

This appears to work. The backup job runs, then the tape gets exported into the mailslot.

At this point the Operator should be able to come along and remove the tape from the mailslot to give to a courier, and to load a tape received from same courier (we use a courier to keep tapes in a secure offsite storage facility).

The problem is that when the operator goes to the MSL2024 front panel and presses the Enter button twice to unlock the mailslot, he/she gets the message "mailslot locked by host system"

So far my solution is to schedule ANOTHER separate job at 7.30am to "Unlock Library", but I find this messy and I wonder if I am going about this the best way.

THEN I have another problem!

I have another job set to run at 4.00pm to Import a tape from the mailslot (ie the tape that was dropped off by the courier at the same time he picked up last nights tape). The problem here is that BackupExec generates an Alert Message to "Please insert media into the portal". Unlike some other alert messages there is no "automatic response" option, so an operator HAS to go into the BackupExec management console and OK the alert message before the tape will be imported from the mailslot.